Just Bill Training Your Dog

All I’m saying is that if you’re gonna bring your dog to the dog park, please make sure that it’s trained and disciplined.

Irony filled the air as this woman’s 5lb Chihuahua barked, growled, and made her presence known. The rat dog stood on top of the picnic table (mistake 1) barking and growling (mistakes 2 & 3) at every single dog that approached “her territory (mistake 4).” I wanted to smack the owner each time she spoke:

“Aw, you’re so cute, Jessie.”
“You’re so funny when you growl, girl”
“You’re such a good girl, Jessie. You love protecting mommy, don’t you?”

The woman’s dog, whether she likes it or not, is neither trainer nor disciplined. Moreover, it is her fault that her dog acts the way it does. According to her own set of rules, this dog should not have been allowed into the dog park.

• Mistake 1: It’s a dog. Get it off of the picnic table. 
• Mistakes 2 & 3: Your dog thinks she is queen of the world. She needs to be disciplined and taught some respect.
• Mistake 4: The picnic table is a community area for all dogs and people to gather. You dog needs to respect this.

This is just one (true) example of something I see just about every time I go to the dog park. Side note: if this dog was a Pit Bull, barking, growling, and territorial, the cops & animal control would be there in 3 seconds flat. Disciplining your dog is healthy and necessary. It teaches them rules, boundaries, respect, and most of all, love.

I could go on and on.